Registration: Unless otherwise indicated, register for programs by calling Westcave at 830-825-3442 or e-mailing info@westcave.org.

A Celebration of Children in Nature

October 1, 2008
Join us in Austin at the Four Seasons Hotel on October 1 for A Celebration of Children in Nature. The event features Richard Louv, best-selling author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. Enjoy a picnic by the lake and help us recognize regional organizations and individuals who exemplify the best in connecting kids to nature with an awards presentation. For more information or to become an event sponsor, contact jody@westcave.org.

Hours: 5 – 8 p.m.

Spook-tacular Creatures

October 19, 2008
Bats and spiders and owls, oh my! Learn about the creatures of Halloween night at Westcave Preserve. The afternoon includes storytelling in the cave and a bat nature trail, as well as other fun crafts and activities featuring our favorite Halloween animals.

Hours: 3 – 6 p.m.
Fee: $5 adult; $2 child; $15 family

Star Nights

September 6, 2008 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
October 25, 2008 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
November 8, 2008 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
December 6, 2008 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
January 31, 2009 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
February 21, 2009 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Tour the night skies at Westcave Preserve, a dark sky location convenient to the surrounding metro areas. Program includes slide show and sky-viewing through a high-quality telescope and is led by Bill Tschumy with Think Astronomy, www.thinkastronomy.com. Call 830-825-3442 for weather updates.

Registration required
Fee: $5 adult; $2 child

Get Growing Keep Going: School Gardens and Nature Areas for Learning and Play

October 25, 2008
Westcave Preserve is participating in a collaborative effort to offer a one-day workshop which will provide the tools for teachers, administrators and parents to integrate gardens and nature areas into the school playground. The conference will be held in Austin at Redeemer Lutheran School, 1500 W. Anderson Lane. For more information, contact: Danna Keyburn, Conference Chair, at dkeyburn@redeemer.net.

Registration available online at: http://redeemerschool.net/links/gardeningconference.html.

Brownies: Eco-Explorers

November 22, 2008
January 24, 2009
Experience the beauty of Westcave Preserve as you earn your Eco-Explorer Try-It. Learn about the wildlife and plants of the Preserve (including rare and endangered species), plant communities, habitats and biodiversity. Take a hike into the cool, sheltered canyon to see a majestic grotto, waterfall and cave. This is a collaborative program between Westcave Preserve and the Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council.

Register through Girl Scouts-Lone Star Council
For registration information, e-mail programs@girlscouts-lonestar.org or call 512-453-7391.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Fee: $8 per girl; $8 per Safety-wise adult

Westcave Community Holiday Party

December 7, 2008
Mark your calendar now for the annual Westcave Community Holiday Party on Sunday, December 7, from 4 to 7 pm. Please try to arrive a little early if you want to join the 4 o’clock cave tour. As usual, we’ll have a potluck dinner, so whip up your favorite dish and RSVP to Jody at 830-825-3174, or e-mail her at jody@westcave.org.

Christmas Bird Count

December 15, 2008
Practice your birding skills while taking part in the Westcave Preserve Christmas Bird Count. The Westcave Preserve Count includes Westcave and Hamilton Pool Preserves, part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, and portions of the Pedernales River, Colorado River and Lake Travis. All levels of interest are welcome. Call the Preserve at 830-825-3442 for additional information. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Registration required
Fee: $5 per adult

Registration

To register for a program, except where noted, call (830) 825-3442 or send an e-mail to info@westcave.org.

...Discover Westcave!

Visitation to the grotto is only by guided tour to minimize the impact on this beautiful and fragile site. Tour rates are $5 per adult, $2 per child (under 12), or $15 per family. Free tour admission is offered for Westcave Preserve members.

Weekday tours for organized groups and schoolchildren can be arranged by calling the preserve at (830)825-3442. Additional information on school groups is available in our Teacher’s Resource Guide, available here on our Web site.

Public tours are offered year-round (weather permitting) on Saturdays and Sundays only at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.